Historic Monterey Inn seeks major makeover

An old look for a longtime local "motor lodge" in downtown St. Augustine is going before the St. Augustine Architectural Review Board today.

Owner Kanti Patel of Vista Hotel III Inc. is seeking the go-ahead on the design for a renovation and remodeling of the Monterey Inn at 16 Avenida Menendez.

"It will reflect the Second Spanish/British period," Patel said. He said he does not intend to increase the number of rooms, currently 52.

City of St. Augustine Planning and Building Director Mark Knight said one of the most obvious changes would be on the motel's rear side on Charlotte Street.

"Now it's small windows and air conditioning units. The proposed change will really make a difference, giving it a much more interesting look," Knight said.

The Monterey Inn was built in 1954 as a motor lodge facing the bayfront. Although in the National Register Historic District, it is listed as a "non-contributing building" because of its non-historic look and age.

Remodeling the existing motel complex would make the architecture resemble what is known as the Second Spanish period.

That period, from 1784-1821, includes a mixture of British and Spanish styles. The Spanish retained many of the features introduced by the British including chimneys, glazed windows and exterior shutters. Buildings were constructed directly on the street.

A staff recommendation from Planning and Building's Thomas Scofield found the general concept and preliminary plans and drawings met the requirements for a Certificate of Appropriateness if some 16 points raised by the staff were addressed.

The recommendation does say the Inn's location is "somewhat unfortunate in that its design, layout and orientation are more suited for U.S. 1 than the pedestrian-friendly environment of downtown St. Augustine" and doesn't add to the streetscape "in any way."

Among staff recommendations are installing pedestrian entrances on Charlotte and Hypolita streets, screening courtyard parking, removing a flat roof and adding more hipped roofs. There are additional suggestions on roofing materials, exterior finishes windows and walls and gates.

The complex is designed to look like a block of eight separate buildings even though they are all connected and under single ownership.

That's much like the Hilton Historic Bayfront to the south, another lodging owned by Patel.

Dixon & Associates are architects for the project.

Plans call for removing existing windows, doors, mechanical units and the roof structure and doing a complete remodeling of the existing rooms and building.

The Certificate of Appropriateness is required before the project can go to the Planning and Zoning Board, the next step in the process.